I thought it was an interesting read as well, although I had some problems with the style Egbers used. He wrote the book as some kind of fiction, with dialogues and all that. I'd rather see it as a documentary.Nevertheless, there were some good and new facts for me as well. I will have to reread the book to see whether I agree with the conclusion.

I'm pretty sure there's some members in here eager to read the translation. With or without the girl feast.

Hello Bobber. I did not mind the style of writing although now you mention it I wonder if the dialogue heavy style was a pre curser to a movie script. If you want a technical type of biography mentioning i.e. guitar brands this is not it, but I enjoyed the intimate style and it paints such a vivid picture of the times that all the Mersey bands emerged from.

I think you actually get a real feel for the personalities of everyone involved.

I could post recaps of the chapters but not sure if that breaks rules. Please could someone guide me on that.

Ok if this break any forum rule it can be deleted by the forum owners.

Chapter 1 (Intro)

February 1972 Rory is living in Amsterdam and working as a DJ. He has arrived home to his tiny attack flat and been greeted by one of his neighbours holding a telegram addressed to Alan Caldwell. The telegram notifies him that his Dad Earnest has suffered a stroke and he must come home. Dressed in a white Afghan coat he heads home to Liverpool.

Chapter 2

The narrative goes back to the 1930's Earnest Caldwell works for The Automatic Telephone and Electric Company and is besotted by Violet Disley a fellow worker who is fun and even though he is a rather quiet man he asks her out by singing to her. They are made for each other and marry in 1936.

Chaper 3

They move into 54 Broad Green Road and soon a baby is on the way. Alan Earnest is born on January 7th 1938. One of the first visitors is Len Disley Violets youngest brother who has bought a fire engine.Sadly war is on the horizon.

Chapter 4

War breaks out Liverpool prepare, shelters are built and children evacuated. Violet and Alan stay he is 18 months old. Tragedy hits as Liverpool is bombed and many close to the Caldwell's die as a neighbouring shelter takes a direct hit. Violets beloved Len dies after his Red cross ship is sunk. Alan spends many hours in the shelter with his parents screaming as the bombs fall. After the dreadful events Ernest attempts to find solace in the bible.

Ernest becomes a window cleaner while spending time doing charity work and trying to help his city. During the last year of the war Iris is born and it is now clear Alan has a severe stammer. He introduces himself at school as Alan Cornflake.

Chapter 6

In an attempt to "cure" his stammer Alan undergoes a lengthy period of hypnosis. It fails to help. Alan is a fun loving restless and energetic child who plays for hours in the bomb rubble and develops a habit of setting fires in the rubble to see the firemen arrive he is about 5 to 6 years old at the time.As the war ends the family gets by on Ernie's limited income but Vi loves the cinema and Alan develops a passion for Liverpool FC and just as importantly Albert Stubbins. A player that Alan admires for all of his life. He attends home games as a boy and follows the team avidly.

Alan is not too interested in the school orchestra and joins the athletic team. He is a natural at the middle distances, and ends up joining the Pembroke Harriers and starts to catch the eye of the local press.

Roy Rodger and Trigger come to Liverpool on a publicity tour. The young Alan manages to see them both and this develops a fondness for the American western.

Alan's athletic training continues he is progressing well and he starts swimming and ends up swimming Lake Windermere.

Money starts to get tight for the family. Alan makes the unilateral decision to leave school and get a job so he can ease the burden and not only pay for the coaching he needs but also pay for Iris's dancing lessons as she is a talent in her own rite.

This all coincides with Violet have a mental collapse and ending up in hospital. She needs ECT to recover. Alan manages to get work at the Cotton exchange after worrying himself sick if he can get through the interview without stammering but he succeeds and Violet recovers.

He attempts to ask a girl out called Phyllis who has a crush on him at work (he knows this as he was tipped off she has clippings of him from the paper) He stammers and so the attempt fails and he is left depressed.

He continues to do well with the athletics and spends hours arguing with his fellow workers about the rivalry between Liverpool and Everton.

Again from the Book Rory Storm BY Tom Egbers (only available in Dutch at the moment)

Alan starts listening to Radio Luxemburg. Track such as Bill Haley's Rock around the clock are shocking and are a indicator that a new revolution is just around the corner.

Rock around the clock has such an effect on Alan he even sings it when running in his athletic races much to the consternation of others.

With Skiffle and Rock n Roll taking hold of the Uk and Alan , he decides he wants a guitar. At the Cotton Exchange his workmates are discussing the Grand National (Iconic Horse race held in Liverpool for the overseas readers) . They are tipping a hose called Devon Loch and much to Ernie's frustration and disapproval Alan goes to the race and places a large bet on the horse to win. The horse is actually leading with only a couple of hundred feet of the race to complete when it belly flops on the floor for no apparent reason (you can see this on youtube I think) The horse loses and Alan is in shock and very angry. On returning home on the bus he hears someone playing a guitar, he recognises that this person is someone who Alan has heard practising for months from his bedroom window but could never work out who it was. The boy is Johnny Byrne. Noticing that Alan is deeply upset Johnny starts talking to him and lets him play his guitar. A friendship is born. On returning home Ernie understands Alan's anger but this is what happens when you gamble. Ernie then hands Alan the money he needs to get a guitar as he respects that Alan has always taken on more than his share of family responsibly without question. Alan get his guitar.

Alan and Johnny are increasingly firm friends who practice their music and have dreams of a different future.

They both go to see Lonnie Donegan in concert and after the show bump into one of Alan's co workers. A Mr Jim McCartney who is there to pick up Paul who has also been to the gig. That night the idea of them forming a band is born they play into the night and Alan finds he can sing without stammering. All this happens amongst the noise of parents shouting to them to be quiet and neighbours hitting the wall to keep the noise down. A band of sorts is born.

Bill Haley Plays Liverpool. Alan has a ticket but Johnny does not. Johnny sneaks them in to the gig in the morning by pretending they are electricity workers. They hide for the rest of the day only appearing in the crowd for the gig.

Al Caldwell and the Raven Texan's form with the line up of Alan, Johnny, Jeff Truman, Reg Hale and Paul Murphy. They are getting gigs and eventually get a spot at the Cavern.

The band gig a lot and cross paths with other bands such as The Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group who have a talented freelance drummer called Richard Starkey and the Quarry men who are described by the many as having a loud mouth but a great deal of talent. The man is John Lennon.

The Raven Texan's are now in need of a guitarist as their sounds is changing. Iris is thirteen and her fourteen year old boyfriend want to audition, he turns up and is sent away by Violet weho thinks its silly for the a fourteen year old to want to play with 17/18 year olds. The lad is upset and is called George Harrison. Alan and Johnny are staggered at his guitar ability even at that young age but he is just too young.

Alan feels that the band need to form a club of its own to play and be a meeting place for all the up and coming bands on the scene. they are able to access a basement of a villa through a Miss Thompson and start up The Morgue Club. They have painted it black with skeleton's on the walls and have hand built a tiny stage. The opening night is an unbelievable success, The Quarry Men play and Alan upsets iris by telling the packed club that Iris stuffs her bra with cotton he gets from work. Iris flees the club with George Harrison with George Harrison running after he to calm her down.

The Police are called often for noise by one particular resident who hates the kids and the noise. Alan spends hours chatting to the Police trying to establish a compromise even placing posters around the club asking the patrons to leave as quietly as possible. This fails and eventually the grumpy neighbours gets the club closed.

Johnny and Alan go to Butlin's in Rhyl for a lads holiday. Translation came up as a girl feast. The lads make a pact. Any girl under 18 and from Liverpool off the cards as they might get their heads kicked in by irate boyfriends. Boy they both have a good time enjoying plenty of female company, who would have thought Butlin's was such a hotbed for the nations youth in the 1950's. Alan nearly gets in a fight with a drunk over Alan O court being in the England football team Johnny sort of gets him out of the situation. Band going more Rock n Roll after seeing Cliff Richard on TV. George is in The Beatles and Lennon is still referred in the book as the front man with the big mouth.

Ringo Star crosses paths with the band again. He is miserable in his job and is a freelance drummer and on the point of emigrating to the US (was this common knowledge?)Johnny and Alan are now professional with Vi taking the bookings. Lads off again on a lad's hols this time in Pwllheli where again the ladies are entertained by the charms of our hero's. Alan wins a swimming contest and as he is awarded the prize (in little more than his trunks)one bloke heckles him with a derogatory comment to which Alan replies "That was not what your wife said yesterday" this leads to a dash to escape with their belongings and Alan trying to convince Johnny he could have took the bloke on. Johnny is suitable unimpressed.

The band play at The Cambrige Hall Southport. The audience are partly teddy boys and a massive fight erupts and knives are pulled show stopped and fight continues outside people are getting battered with chairlegs fight so bad even the band are involved and Johnny is really beaten up, but just manages to escape worse.

Band wants to play at the Casbah Mona Best has fallen out with the MoonDogs as Ken Brown was ill and the other three still played but only got three quarters of the fee with Ken getting the other 1/4

The Hurracaines play the Cavern to a jazz crowd and all hell breaks loose with the coin throwing audience ending the gig ewarly. Owner docs them £2 out of the agreed £4 fee however However Johnny got £6 picking coins off the floor which means they were ahead cash wise.

Johnny buys a second hand 1938 Jag that is unreliable and either breaks down or bits drop off. Johny smashes it into a kiosk and eventually sells it on for £25 Rory who was only bothered about Johny not buying a Hillman rues that this is because Johnny got it from Everton.

Another fight after a gig this time Ty takes on an irate boyfriend after he spends a show winking at a pretty girl in the fron row. Her boyfriend goes after him with Rory and Johnny stating they will back him up. He tells them to get inot the van and after knocking the bloke out jumps into the moving van. The mates of the unconscious man chase the can throw a stone through a window that hits Rory on the head. (there is a pattern forming here)

Rory meets John Lennon who is with Stuart Sutcliffe. They are obsessed with modern art and are at art school. The band seems to be without a drummer and on the back burner and now called Long John Silver and the Beatles. (not sure if that was translated correctly). Rory thinks the name does not work.

The Gene Vincent Eddie Cochrane show is put together with loads of local bands The Silver Beatles are invited as the promoter is trying to tell them that they need to be more like the more experienced and sharper bands like Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. Eddie Cochrane is killed Rory is distraught after the recent deaths of Buddy Holly and James Dean. The show goes ahead with Rory and the Hurricanes doing a staggering well received set. The Beatles are in the audience.

Larry Parnes is in town to audition the Liverpool acts. The Silver Beatles play and Stuart Sutcliffe plays with his back to the audience Larry offers Lennon work if they drop Sutcliffe. Lennon turns him down flat and is stroppy. Parnes is not impresses but Rory and everyone else is full of admiration for Lennon standing up for his mate. Ernie thinks Lennon's actions are of a great man. Violet gets a very well paid Butlin's gig for the band Ty looses his job and goes full time with the band after a row with his mum and dad. Ritchie is engaged and Geraldine is angry she rarely sees him, Rory visits the family to try and smooth things over so that Ritchie can do the gigs with the support of the family and Geraldine. An ultimatum is issued it is her of the drums. Ritchie is obsessed with the drumming.

The band play Pwllheli Butlins. More girls throwing themselves at the band Rory has own room so especially happy. Dramatic incident involving Ringo who cannot swim. Lou and Ty offer to teach him although he is not keen as there are plenty of kids about. He gives in and is making progress when Lou and Ty leave him in the deep end and he panics ands goes under. Rory notices that Ringo has been under for way too long as he has been diving from the 10 meter board he can see things more clearly. He make a massive dive from the top board and lands close to Ringo pulling him out of the water. Everyone is laughing except Rory who realises that was way more dangerous than the others thought. Rory spend night in bed with girl from Leeds whoses name he cannot recall but gets call that they can get work in Hamburg. They are excited all except Vi who is still upset about the war.

Hamburg is a real slog. Rory will not take pills to stay awake as he sees it as a challenge to his fitness. Also does not smoke. Miserable time for all Astrid takes the photograph of Rory, Stage is broken but Rory and band get beaten up. Beatles have it much worse and George gets deported. McCartney and Best get arrested for arson. All return home but Johnny is ill al the way home on the ferry.

The return home all battered by the Hamburg experience George looks ill to people. Stormville is born with the bands all returning after gigs to eat sandwiches and drink tea playing and chatting while Iris talks about dancing and Ernie reads his bible to himself. The Iron Door club holds all nighter's Liverpool is finding it's feet musically. McCartney tells Rory that they are off to Hamburg again and they are writing their own stuff. Priscilla White appears and starts singing onstage and gets attention from the press with Rory et al only mentioned as a afterthought. Pwllheli wants another band instead of Rory and offers them work in Skegness.

Both The Beatles and RSATH play New Brighton. After a fantastic night for all the bands they load their vans and end up heading to Stormville. It ends up a speed contest. Buses storming in wrong lanes, on two wheels and Jammo (RSATH driver) and Neil (Aspinal?) going through the Mersey Tunnel side by side. absolute chaos and RSATH wins the race. Ringo announces he has written to the Texan Chamber of Commerce to see about emigrating. Everyone is stunned Ty nearly batters Ringo for being disloyal stopped by Johnny. He takes a break from the band but is increasingly edgy. Rory get arrested for the I Love Rory graffiti in relation to the Mersey Beat poll and is relegated to fourth even though there are dodgy votes for The Beatles and RSATH. RSATH actually have a fan club and sometime Rory has to be rescued from screaming fans.

The Beatles and RSATH play for Sam Leach's engagement party and there are a couple of wonderful photos of Rory who has never drank alcohol before appearing trolleyed. Lennon ends up asleep in a bath. Off to France to play for the US forces and Rory buys the purple Vauxhall Cresta. Stuart Sutcliffe tragically dies.

Things just got rather weird even for the heroes of out story. Band at Skegness a fight break out in the audience which is exasperated when Johnny accidently is overheard swearing on an open mike at the brawlers. They turn on the band Rory only gets away by dodging them on some train tracks but Johnny get surrounded. He actually jumps into a pool from a rooftop in the dark which seems to be smelly and full of rubber and the crowd run away laughing. He does not understand why until talking to a barman he is told that an elephant on loan to the camp died in the pool (probably from heart attack) while being washed and despite the best efforts of a crane was still in the pool.

Johnny gets into trouble with the management for getting caught sleeping with a guest and the band nearly get fired. A compromise is reached. Johnny can play but not live on site. He and Ringo hire a caravan and live on the other side of the camp boundary with Rory sneaking them meals. Lennon and McCartney come to the caravan and tell them all that Pete Best has been fired and they want Ringo for the Beatles. Ringo immediately says yes arguments break out between everyone and Ringo. Rory is shocked as they have no drummer. They eventually get a red coat to help out but the management say they will not be hiring then band again.

Ringo and the band have a mini fallout as Ringo wants his money back on the stage costume while Johnny wants money for the caravan. Things are settled quickly and friendships remain. Iris is seeing both Paul and Frank Ifield which annoys Frank. Incident with Toby and Paul leading to a lot of tears for Iris and Rory is furious and Violet receives the very odd teeth letter from George. Band are now struggling loosing drummers and Rory not only does the diving board summersault during a gig but has two accidents one lands him in hospital. They record for Oriole but only get limited success. The Beatles are on their way to superstardom. Johnny and Rory need a new direction and new management.

Rory is at Anfield when the Liverpool sound hits the terraces. He is moved to tears with both joy and sadness that all his mates are hitting it big but not them. Epstein offers to record RSATH. It does not go well with their normal fare not getting Epstein's attention and America is way too pop for Rory's taste but that is the only track that gets done. Ringo Iris and Shane Fenton (now Iris's boyfriend) are on backing vocals. The Beatles tour the US. RSATH tours Mallorca and Ibiza.